From Japan: Yaakov Yosef’s Altruism in Choosing to Appeal

The dramatic return to Eretz Yisroel of Yoel Zev Goldstein, reported extensively here on Matzav.com, does not bring an end to the Japan saga, as Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel remains imprisoned. Efforts to maintain Yaakov Yosef’s status at the Chiba Detention Center until his transfer to Israel have been productive.

According to Israeli protocol, one-third of the full sentence can be deducted, and the remaining time can also be commuted as per their discretion.

Yaakov Yosef could, therefore, with the help of Hashem, be released from prison within a few months from now. Efforts are well underway towards expediting his return home to Eretz Yisroel. All are asked to continue being mispallel for Yaakov Yosef ben Reizel.

It should be noted that Yaakov Yosef demonstrated great self-sacrifice when choosing to appeal the initial verdict he received at the District Court. Most convictions in Japan are not appealed at a higher court. One of the primary reasons why Yaakov Yosef opted to appeal – in consultation with daas Torah – was to demonstrate unequivocally his claim of innocence, thereby hoping to influence the mindset of Yoel Zev’s judges when perceiving him as an accomplice. (Not appealing is, in Japan, an indication of accepting guilt.)

If not for the protracted appeal procedure, Yaakov Yosef would now already be serving time in an Israeli prison.

During the preparations of the appeal trial, several new elements of defense surfaced, additional expert witnesses were brought to Japan, and further emphasis was placed on the unethical blind eye being given to the polygraph examination results.

Yoel Zev’s judges agreed to adopt most of the new defense materials that were introduced and accepted by the judges at Yaakov Yosef’s appeal trial.

“We are grateful for Yaakov Yosef’s altruism, at the cost of his own comfort,” Rabbi Meilich Bindinger, one of the leading askanim involved in the case, said. “May Hashem repay him with a yeshuah bekarov.”

In deep gratitude of Yaakov Yosef’s mesirus nefesh, Yoel Zev paid a visit to Yaakov Yosef’s family in Bnei Brak on Wednesday. Yaakov Yosef’s family prepared a festive l’chaim in honor of Yoel Zev’s release. Yoel Zev thanked Yaakov Yosef’s family for the tremendous selflessness Yaakov Yosef had shown to help his friend.